DoD News

WASHINGTON - The United States would like to capture Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda terrorist network's leader and financier, "but the problem is much bigger than any one person," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said June 27.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials announced today they are restarting a modified Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program now that the vaccine provider has passed Food and Drug Administration scrutiny.

WASHINGTON - A coalition investigation board has blamed two U.S. F-16 fighter pilots, and others in their chain of command, for the April 17 friendly fire incident that killed four Canadian soldiers and injured eight.

WASHINGTON - At a critical moment during the Revolutionary War, when his army was surrounded and in danger of being destroyed, General Washington issued this order: "Put only Americans on guard tonight." Washington knew, at that moment of crisis, he could rely on those citizen-soldiers—volunteers who had left behind their families and farms to risk everything for the cause of freedom.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi air defense weapons fired 10 times on coalition planes enforcing the northern no-fly zone over the past couple of days. The coalition responded this morning by dropping precision-guided munitions on elements of an Iraqi integrated air defense system, the U.S. military's senior officer said in the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special operations troops' current mission of training Philippine military forces ends July 31, but further U.S. involvement under different parameters is likely after that, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today.

WASHINGTON - On Sept. 11, actor Michael Nouri and the cast of the musical "South Pacific" witnessed the horror of the World Trade Center attack. The veteran actor of Broadway, movies and television, decided he had to do something to help.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - When Army Staff Sgt. Ted R. Rogers walks through the gate at Camp Delta here, he doesn't dwell on the fact that some of the captured enemy combatants would kill him if they got a chance.

WASHINGTON - The theme for NATO's November summit in Prague, Czech Republic, will be "new capabilities, new members and new relationships," said Ian Brzezinski, deputy assistant defense secretary for NATO and European Affairs.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Joint Task Force 160's primary mission is taking care of captured enemy combatants from the war on terrorism, but the outfit's commander emphasizes that the safety and security of his people is as important -- or more so.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Strong winds churned up white caps across Guantanamo Bay June 18 as an Air Force Reserve C-141 Starlifter streamed in for a landing carrying 28 suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members headed for in-processing and detention at Camp Delta here.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Army National Guard Col. Willie Davenport believed until the day he died that determined and promising young athletes should have the same chances he had to fulfill their Olympic dreams.

WASHINGTON - Each American taking part in Operation Enduring Freedom in and around Afghanistan is combating terrorism in his or her own way. Their duties may vary, but their goal is the same: victory over evil.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and coalition forces' continued Operation Mountain Lion patrols in Afghanistan and have reaped "hundreds of thousands" of munitions in recent weeks, Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard Myers said today.

WASHINGTON - After visiting nine countries in 10 days, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld believes much of the rest of the world is listening when President Bush speaks about the risks of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Staff Sgt. Ernest Revell was in charge of keeping Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's plane safe at each of 10 stops on a whirlwind overseas tour. He cemented his own commitment to stay on the job by re-enlisting June 13 at 35,000 feet over Amman, Jordan.

MANAMA, Bahrain - "Scraps of intelligence" that Al Qaeda operatives may be in Kashmir are generally speculative and not verifiable or actionable, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in Pakistan today.

WASHINGTON - Meg Falk, director of the Defense Department's Family Policy Office, says her leaders and her staff "conspired" to nominate her for a national award for her efforts in the wake of the September 11 attack on the Pentagon.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wrapped up his visit to India earlier today by praising Indian leaders for their concern and interest in resolving the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan "in an appropriate way."

WASHINGTON - One deployment after another. That's what duty is like for members of the 822nd Security Forces out of Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga. Their job involves safeguarding U.S. forces in deployed locations.

WASHINGTON - New perspectives, new ideas and new energy are needed to combat global terrorism, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said here Wednesday during commencement ceremonies at the National Defense University.

WASHINGTON - The 495 U.S. military officers, civilians and international students who graduated today from the National Defense University here have forged a special bond, according to Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers.

WASHINGTON - Early Tuesday morning many daily commuters on Route 27 hit their brakes as they passed the site of last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Some even stopped. For the first time since then, the lights were on inside the reconstructed building.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told U.S. service members at the Naval Support Activity here this evening that they are combining "the latest technologies with the oldest virtues" -- courage, discipline, honor, integrity.

TALLINN, Estonia - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met here today with the defense ministers from the Nordic and Baltic nations to discuss security cooperation in the region, the war on terrorism and the Baltic states' NATO aspirations.

GEILENKIRCHEN, Germany - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld stopped briefly at this NATO air base to thank international airmen that flew missions over the United States for several months after Sept. 11.

WASHINGTON - Although not completely successful, today's attempt by Philippine commandos to rescue an American missionary couple and a Philippine woman held captive by terrorists has bolstered U.S.-Philippine determination to defeat the terrorists, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said here today.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his British counterpart, Minister of Defence Geoffrey Hoon, compared notes in London earlier today and agreed on the first step in resolving tensions between India and Pakistan.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Iraqi forces have resumed stepped-up attacks on U.S. and British fliers enforcing the northern and southern no-fly zones in that country, the British defense minister told American reporters today.

WASHINGTON - The success of U.S. policy in the Philippines rests squarely on the shoulders of the "extraordinary capabilities of our young men and women" serving there, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said today at the Hoover Institute Symposium here.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Family separations are routine in the military. Men and women in America's armed forces often have to bid a temporary farewell to spouses, fiancé(e)s, parents and children.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today shared his thoughts about the current military standoff between India and Pakistan shortly before departing on a trip to Europe, the Middle East and South Asia to check security ties and visit U.S. troops.

WASHINGTON - American and allied Afghan military forces conducting a raid May 31 mistakenly fired on other friendly Afghan troops, killing two and wounding three, a U.S. military official reported from Afghanistan today.

WASHINGTON - The war on terrorism and relations between India and Pakistan represent two hot topics on Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's agenda as he begins a trip tomorrow that will span Europe, South Asia and the Middle East, senior DoD officials said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today told graduates of U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2002 at West Point, N.Y., that America's war against terrorism is an unprecedented confrontation between good and evil.

SINGAPORE - The war on terrorism's effect in Asia, building bridges to moderate Muslims and the continued U.S. involvement in the Asia-Pacific region were highlights of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's speech here June 1.